WELLINGTON – States of emergency remain in the New Zealand regions of Whanganui and Taranaki while traffic disruption continues in drenched parts of the lower North Island.

The weekend’s flooding is being ranked second only to the 2011 Canterbury earthquake.

MetService said on Monday morning that rain system had gone but snow could affect State Highways 1 and 2.

A state of local emergency existed in Whanganui, mayor Annette Main said on Monday.

“This is the worst we have had,” Main said.

Repairs in rural and urban areas would take a “long time”.

Civil Defence duty manager Shane Bayley said the impact of the weekend’s floods was worse than recent ones in Dunedin and would have “longer term consequences than anything since the Christchurch 2011 earthquake”.

Some roads would remain blocked and communities – including dairy farms – would be isolated for weeks to come, Bayley said.

“I don’t think we have seen an economic impact on this scale since Christchurch.”

A Civil Defence spokesman said local assessments of states of local emergency would be carried out on Monday morning.

A huge amount of rain was dumped onto the country during the weekend, MetService rain gauges showed.

Palmerston North had 132.6mm of rainfall on Saturday, around one and a half times the 92.1mm average for June.

Areas in the Egmont National Park and Hokitika saw over 500mm.

Whanganui had 135.8mm of rain on Friday and Saturday, far above the total June average of 94.1mm. Levin saw 96.8mm over the same period, compared to a June average of 106.8mm.

MetService meteorologist Nicole Ranger said the system that caused flooding over the weekend had now left.

But a weakening cold front was coming over the lower North Island on Monday and would dump snow to as low as 300 metres above sea level.

Snow warnings were in place for the State Highway 1 Desert Rd, between Waiouru and Turangi, as well as the State Highway 2 Rimutaka Hill Rd from Upper Hutt to Wairarapa.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) was warning of multiple traffic disruptions in the lower North Island in wake of the flooding. They were still advising against non-urgent travel in the affected areas.

The Manawatu Gorge on State Highway 3 remained closed due to multiple slips.

The Rimutaka Hill Road north of Wellington would see some snow and commuters were advised to either use the train or work from home if possible.

Debris, slips, flooding, and one-lane restrictions were widespread.

Prime Minister John Key said a review of infrastructure would take place if necessary but the restoration of roads was likely to be the biggest expense.

A mayoral fund would be established and Government would pump money into it to deal with the effects of the flooding.